At this point in the game, small businesses know they need to be on the social media bandwagon. For some, that is all it is – a bandwagon. Jumping into social media half-heartedly, or worse, without proper education, is destined for failure. Knowing Facebook and Twitter are good for business is a dangerous pitfall. And the thought that social media is free? A prevalent fallacy. The missing link for so many brands is a posting strategy. These five quick tips can get your social media channels on the right track.

Less Is More

When you are deciding what social channels to begin using for your brand, don’t pick everything. You will find it is difficult enough to keep just one or two networks up to date. There is no shame in starting with just one channel. Let’s say you pick Facebook. Decide to post one, maybe twice a day. But stick to that – don’t waver. Be consistent in posting quality material and drive your prospects to that location. Begin building a network of engaged users. When you are comfortable with that one network, move onto another that you can get going without your Facebook skipping a beat.

Establish Goals

Remember, social media channels are still marketing channels. And all marketing needs to be measured against a goal. With that being said, social media doesn’t necessarily have to drive sales or dollar signs. But it needs to drive something.

Maybe you want to drive eNewsletter signups. Or want more YouTube views. Or want to run contests. Regardless of your end goal, just make sure your social channels are not aimless.

It’s A Team Effort

For big companies, it is easy to hire one or two people to be full time social media monitors. But for small companies, it’s not that simple. Don’t make one person in charge of it all. Remember, social media is like a customer service desk that never shuts off. Comments can come in at any hour of the day. One person can’t do it all, especially if social media is just an addition to their actual job description.

Also, social media is all about diversity of posting. Pictures, different viewpoints, YouTube clips and more should all be a part of a posting strategy. Having different people involved can create a strong social presence.

Go By The Numbers

The advent of social media has paved the way for a bevy of measurement tools. There are independent sites dedicated to each of the big social networks – SocialBro, ManageFlitter, HootSuite – and some networks have their own analytics and insights.

These tools can give you hints as when the best times to post are, what types of content are best received, and which posts are shared the most. Don’t market blind.

Again! With Feeling!

Eventually, you will have to believe in social media for it to continue. Like anything in business, something without any perceived utility will eventually be dropped. Getting some positive feedback form social networks might be all it takes to make you a believer. Or maybe you’ll want to see a qualified inbound lead.

Whatever the case may be – do what it takes to see the value of social media in your marketing mix. The benefits are there, but it is up to you and your company to determine what they are.